- Leader | December 1, 1863 - August 19, 1950
I know now what this meant, that the bison were the gift of a good spirit and were our strength, but we should lose them, and from the same good spirit we must find another strength.
Black Elk
StrengthGoodGiftLoseFindKnow
After the horse dance was over, it seemed that I was above the ground and did not touch it when I walked.
DanceHorseTouchOverGroundAbove
And if the great fear had not come upon me, as it did, and forced me to do my duty, I might have been less good to the people than some man who had never dreamed at all, even with the memory of so great a vision in me.
GoodFearVisionGreatManMemory
The boys of my people began very young to learn the ways of men, and no one taught us; we just learned by doing what we saw, and we were warriors at a time when boys now are like girls.
TimeMenPeopleLearnDoingYoung
I looked below and saw my people there, and all were well and happy except one, and he was lying like the dead - and that one was myself.
MyselfHappyPeopleLyingDeadSaw
I had a vision with which I might have saved my people, but I had not the strength to do it.
StrengthVisionPeopleMightSaved
You remember that my great vision came to me when I was only nine years old, and you have seen that I was not much good for anything until after I had performed the horse dance near the mouth of the Tongue River during my eighteenth summer.
GoodVisionGreatDanceRiverMe
A good nation I will make live.
GoodLiveWillNationMake
Also, as I lay there thinking of my vision, I could see it all again and feel the meaning with a part of me like a strange power glowing in my body; but when the part of me that talks would try to make words for the meaning, it would be like fog and get away from me.
PowerVisionWordsFogMeThinking
But I think I have done right to save the vision in this way, even though I may die sooner because I did it; for I know the meaning of the vision is wise and beautiful and good; and you can see that I am only a pitiful old man after all.
GoodBeautifulVisionManI AmWise
I cured with the power that came through me.
PowerMeThroughCameCured
I looked about me once again, and suddenly the dancing horses without number changed into animals of every kind and into all the fowls that are, and these fled back to the four quarters of the world from whence the horses came, and vanished.
MeWorldBackAnimalsKindDancing
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